


Manna

by AllieAngel44



Category: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Video Game)
Genre: Broken Bones, Hurt/Comfort, Sorry Not Sorry, What-If, Zombies? Kinda?, i wrote this at 2 am, is this considered angst?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:01:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29800584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllieAngel44/pseuds/AllieAngel44
Summary: Manna... Ash that fell from the sky that tainted the people of Ding Dong Dell, Al Mamoon, Hamelin, and, thousands of years ago, Nazcaa. Monsters roam the cities, in pain and trapped anger, waiting for people to save them. Marcassin was able to escape the clutches of such torture...But what if he didn't?(Or, I always had this idea in the back of my head after saving Hamelin in the Switch remaster of the game again, but I couldn't put it into writing.)
Kudos: 7





	Manna

The ash that fell to the ground was nightmarish, turning people against one another. Lone howls and deranged groans echoed through the hollow cavern of Hamelin's streets.

Yet, the only noise that left Oliver's lips was a brief sigh as he, Ester, Drippy, and Pea followed closely behind Swaine, the older man's Dualynx taking down another one of the victims with a Mighty Light. Ding Dong Dell and Al Mamoon were freed of the curse that this foe placed upon them, leaving only Hamelin left.

Rashaad made it out, so the small wizard held hope that perhaps Marcassin had too. That he was travelling to Ding Dong Dell for the celebration and narrowly missed the spell. He could tell the ex-prince was holding onto the same hope for his brother. That he wasn't trapped in _another_ mess like this...

They went to Oliver's world, grabbed Pea, saved the crew, saved Ding Dong Dell and King Tom, saved Al Mamoon and the Cowlipha, and their hope dwindled more and more. Now, they believed they were holding onto optimism a bit too tightly.

Esther let out her own sigh, staring at the thief with what someone could call worry. Fluffy licked his fur, tilting his head in a mock confusion when the harpist tapped his human's shoulder. "Swaine..." She murmured, her eyebrows arched in a way that showed her sympathy. The cat soon returned to the Creature Cage, most likely ready to be pampered with cake and treats. "You know, you don't-"

" _"_ _Have to do this"_?" The group looked at the man in mild shock as a scoff left hs lips. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he glared at the floor, at the creature below them. "I... I can't do that, Esther." He shook his head slowly, continuing with, "I can't leave him alone again."

Esther and Oliver exchanged looks, Drippy joining in that gaze. Swaine's shoulders hunched over, the sigh leaving his lips long and exasperated. Pea seemed like she was about to say something, but quickly shushed when another Wretch turned around from the corner of the hall with a low and pained growl forcing itself out of its throat, two more Wretches running at her, on all fours and in stumbled patterns.

With their own yells, the group had summoned out their Familiars as the creature lunged forwards, feet stomping loudly against the floor with echoes bouncing against the walls. The mage winced as Galaxy, his Astralynx, and Emerald, Swaine's Griffurnace, knocked down the three monstrosities with a Twinkle Twinkle and a Pyro Puff. Their monstrous cries and pained growls barely hit his ears as they fell unconscious with thuds to the ground.

King Tom and the Cowlipha voiced their pains much more loudly in their battles... That one fact made both Swaine's and Oliver's stomachs drop.

(~~~~~)

"Look! There it is!" Pea shouted and pointed towards that black shard that floated uselessly in the air. The group had gone through the old manhole that they had once gone through, the door leading to the throne room locked. Even when Oliver tried to use Spring Lock, it didn't move, _like another powerful force was holding it back..._

"So... We're back here again..." Swaine murmured to himself, placing his hands on his hips and stared up at the crystal. His eyes were dull, losing the light that they once held for battle. Esther and Oliver looked towards their thief friend with a look of sympathy, the green-haired child clasping her hands together to perform her spell.

" _Flippin' heck!_ " Oliver heard his fairy friend shout, his right hand pointed towards the crystal. The smallest child let out a yell and looked up in fear, the Pure-Hearted One looking up at the crystal to see what caused the reaction.

_He had a sick feeling he kn_ _ew who it was..._

Floating in front of the crystal and its magic was another Wretch. But this one was different... Its form taller, thinner... More _human_ than the others. And judging the fact it was guarding the crystal...

_Marcassin..._

Marcassin-or that beast-turned around and growled, the noise muffled by the faded grey bandages wrapped around its face, only revealing its left eye, its pupil a blazing red compared to the darker black of the sclera. Its once tamed hair was now a mess, dangling over its back wildly and messily. It flicked its blood red claws, to the side. A threat, most likely. Its robes and outfit were faded into a lighter shade, cracks aligning it like how it would cover a porcelain doll, sleeves now draping downwards, nearly reaching its knees, black muck that formed a crystal like appearance traveling from its waist to its feet. Right on its chest, were the heart was supposed to be, was a splodge of dark purple, its chest moving like its heart was still beating.

Like _his_ heart was still beating.

" _No!_ " Swaine shouted when he looked at the beast-at the Emperor, at his friend, at his _brother_ -and the monster only looked back at him with a flaring anger in its eye. The _anger-no,_ _ **hatred**_ -blazed brightly at the group with another muffled growl roaring deeply at them.

"It got to Marcassin, too..." Esther murmured the fact to herself, almost trying to confirm the fact to herself to more than anything. She grabbed her harp in her trembling hands as Oliver grabbed Mornstar in his, though a quick glance at Swaine showed his trembling and fear within every fibers of his body.

"Guess we'll just have to give ol' princey a nice beating, eh?" Drippy asked the group, his lantern rattling on the tip of his nose. His look was a little less sympathetic, but it was like he was used to this.

The Pure-Hearted One simply frowned at his friends. He wished that he _wasn't_ used to this. He _hated_ fighting his friends, he _hated_ the way how they sounded like they were in so much pain, he _hated_ the person who did this to them.

To _King Tom_ , to the _Cowlipha_ , to _Marcassin_ , all three who were effected by this ash in the worst way possible. To _the people_ of the three kingdoms, who were completely innocent and didn't deserve this fate. To _him, Esther, Swaine_ , who had to fight their own friends...

He was pulled out of his thoughts as water dripped down onto his body, which was quite stran-

_A Nix symbol._

A Nix symbol floated above his head, as well as Esther's, Swaine and Fluffy seeming to be unaffected by it, even looking like they Evaded-

_Rain and a Nix._

_He should've expected a Cloudburst._

_He had his spells_ , Oliver realized when he reached into his bag to pull out his Nix-be-Gone. Once the Nix disappeared, he sighed sorrowfully and looked at the group, Esther getting close to Marcassin and attacking, only to be knocked down by what seemed to be a Pulse, the magic's lines sharp and crafted hastily. Each noise it made was choked now, pained, and hissed through the bandages that hugged its face tightly.

Galaxy was summoned quickly, and with a sorrowful thought, the Astralynx attacked.

(~~~~~)

Too long, Marcassin decided, his people had had a useless ruler. Missing belief had been the cause of this, but he chose not to take it as an excuse. Gascon had still tried to get home, even with missing restraint, and that horrid Nightmare that clung to the missing void.

Fui and Saada, bless his assistants' hearts, were trusting in him. They told him that they believe in him, just like his people would. They just needed time. If he get his belief back, his people could get theirs back too.

They believed in him. Oliver and Esther believed in him. _Gascon_ believed in him. He wouldn't fail. _For them._

Imagine his shock when the ever stoic and calm Saada bursted into his quarters in a horrified manner-trembling, sweating, pale-and practically screamed at him to leave Hamelin. His shock grew as she summoned Blinky, her even more scared Impaler, and faced the door.

A beast charged through the door on all fours, a werewolf coated in blue fur, and growled at his assistant. She murmured an apology before allowing Blinky to attack. It only seemed to be a distraction, as she tugged the innocent Emperor through the mazing halls of his palace.

He looked around, noticing the misty atmosphere that clouded his home. What he found more strange was that the halls were barren. No one else running through them in his and Saada's fear. Where was Hogarth in all of this? What of Portia and the rest of the chefs? And Fui, where was he?

When he and his assistant had reached the entrance of the palace, the dead silence was soon replaced by echoing groans and pained grunts. Something fell from the sky that made his skin prickle, which confused the Emperor more.

_Was this weather? No, Hamelin had a roof, it couldn't be-_

Saada screeched in utter pain and fell to her knees about eight feet away from the entrance. Her hand let go of Marcassin's for one second, and it all fell apart. He turned towards his assistant, and everything clicked. Her skin radiated ashen grey smoke, tears falling down her face as she _screamed._

His world became blurry and muffled when a deadly screech left her throat, her form changing with the ash.

_Her fear, her rush, her apology, missing people, the ash..._

_That wolf Wretch she fought off... Fui...?_

"M-Ma..." Saada's voice trembled in fear, falling to her knees and soon hitting her stomach against the floor. She reached forwards, her gloved hands turning a sickly green...? " _M- Ma..._ "

He grabbed his staff, looking at his assistant with a bitter look as her hair turned a slight purple. Then, he hissed and grabbed his head.

_No. No, he couldn't lose it!_

" _Maje... M- Maj_..." Saada (or was she even Saada...?) stood up on her feet up again, and then _lunged._ " _ **MAJESTY...!!**_ " He was tackled down by his ex-assistant, her eyes a dark black and red with an insane glare in it.

Now pinned to the ground with her on his back, Saada knocked his staff away from his hand, snickers deranged laughter heard from above him that shouldn't belong to her. Her hands grasped at his left arm at the right reached for his staff.

_'Snap!'_

Marcassin couldn't feel or hear the monstrosity break his arm, but he barely covered up the scream of raw pain he's in. Because he's dull, numb, doesn't feel it, but shows it. It's human nature. But, he was soon to be anything but human.

The world turned a sickening shade of grey as his head throbbed again, his right arm now going as limp as the left. Saada had removed herself from his back, her gaze wicked and spiteful as she sneered down at the prince below her, watching smoke rise from his body and take form of its own.

There's... There's gaps in his memories. Of _their_ memories. It's like he feels them. _His people._ Saada and Fui remain by his side, only fleeing in his memory's gaps. It felt like years that he lost to the gaps of his memories, but each time, it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

He can hear Saada's screams in agony, Fui's cries for help, even if they don't voice them directly. He could still hear his human half yelling from within his mind, trying to escape the Hell his mind had become. He could also hear, even if faintly, a small child crying for someone in the back of his mind. Pitiable sobs for people long dead or gone to save them.

He doesn't see Saada and Fui once they leave his side, going after bodies had entered _his domain_ , ready to feast upon flesh and blood. Yet he still feels them, somewhere in this plain. He could probably hear them better if that child would _shut up_.

He still hears the child as warm bodies center in on his place of hiding. He still hears the child as he witnesses the flesh walk into _his_ domain and try to get _his_ crystal. The child grows louder when he stares at the taller man, and it _hurts,_ his whining does. It grows louder, too, when they fight, though grows oddly soft once he rips off the mask that was hiding his true monstrous appearance.

That's what's left of his human side, he realizes, just as the younger boy hits him with a powerful light that throws him to the wall.

When he sees that young girl try to destroy the crystal, he hears the boy one last time. He still cries, yes, but it was only now a whisper of what was once there.

(~~~~~)

The hissed out cry that fell from the Wretch's throat as it hit one of the pillars that surrounded the area made the ex-prince wince and rush over towards it _-no, him. They beat him, so Pea could cure him now._

Marcassin was now barely unconscious, his breathing still pained and shallow, but heard. The bandages once around his face laid as limp as his body on the floor, showing both his closed eyes, fanged teeth in his mouth, and ashen grey skin. His heartbeat pulsing was slower than what is was during the battle, but his chest still moved like it was still beating... Swaine let out a relieved sigh.

The small taps of Pea walking to the crystal were muffled, her short cry of her spell was just a murmur, and the white light that came from her spell was simply a blur.

His brother was now in the place of that monster, his body at peace and resting against the cool floor. His arm looked pretty damaged, but other than that, he _looked_ like he was _okay._

There were bound to be mental scars, at least. Even if he didn't remember everything, he was bound to remember _something._ Like his arm. It couldn't have been broken in an accident, judging from how it looked like it broke.

He gave a glance back to his friends before a wince caught his ears. Apparently, broken arms don't exist to the Porcine Prince, as he had tried to use both arms to get up. He looked like he was in pain when he moved. It hurt Swaine as much as it hurt Marcassin.

Gah, damn it! And just when he thought Marcassin would be apple to avoid his messes!

The ex-prince reach forward some as he knelt down (trying to ignore the flinch when his brother first saw the hand), his brother's eyes staring dully at it after he tried to wipe at the bags under them. Once he trusted Swaine enough, the cold feeling of Marcassin's hand laid in the thief's palm as he was pulled to his feet.

Blinking just a few times, light flooding his eyes, his eyes met his brother's. "G-Gasc..." He stuttered slightly, rubbing hus eyes and bridge of his nose with his right hand. " _Gascon...?_ "

_Screw it._

Swaine was never one for comfort, Gascon even less so. However, he quickly wrapped his arms around his brother's form, holding him tighter than he ever tried to do so ever. Even in slight shock, Marcassin wrapped his right arm around his brother's stomach, hugging him tightly too. Oliver and Esther smiled at the two brothers hugging each other calmly, Pea showing Drippy a flower in her grip that she found on the field...?

Once they let go, Marcassin cradled his broken arm with his other, looking around in slight confusion. "What happened? Why am I here?" The prince asked, his look was tired and exhausted, but the small smile remained on his lips after the hug.

" _What happened?_ " Swaine chuckled under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest with a slight smile and a shake of his tired head. "You shaved ten years off of Saada's and Fui's lives." His eyes grew into shock, but when he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder with a slight pat, he smiled ever so slightly.

" _YOUR MAJESTY!!_ " Everyone flinched at the loud yell at the other side of the room. Looking at the area where the yell had come from, the saw Saada running towards her Majesty, Fui and Hogarth following right behind her.

Fui had grabbed her arms and pulled her back slightly, smiling mainly at Swaine as he told the girl, "Saada, I think we should give His Majesty and Gascon some space, okay?" The grumble from the girl made Fui chuckle slightly, then pull her towards Oliver and Esther. Her body deflated, but she allowed her to be pulled towards the two children.

Swaine looked to his brother with a small smile, noticing the way he flinched and tensed when Saada ran towards him. Judging the way he was holding his arm... And her monstrous appearance she took during the ash falling...

Marcassin wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight, was Swaine's guess. _The chances of that were lower if Saada or Fui were around_ _him_... Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to take him with them.

Though, he knew if Marcassin wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight, he doubted he would get any either...


End file.
